Stop motion for fiber strand preparation machines



July 9, 1935. I F. EXLEY I 2,007,643

STOP MOTION FOR FIBER STRAND PREPARATION MACHINES Filed May 26, 1933 MerzZzZ :1:- 2;

Patented July 9 1935 U ED STATE f i sToPMo'rIo roa FIBER s-TRAND f 1 I PREPARATION. MACHINES Frederick Exleyj-Providence, R. L, assignor of 'one-l1alf to--William Casey, Providence, R. I.

Application May 26, 1933,, Serial No. 73,072 14 Claims. (01. ce- 4%) My invention relates to improvements in electric stop motions for fiber strandpreparation machines, specifically drawing frames having sets of draft rolls for the fiber strands; a source of fiber strand supply, mechanism to stop the motion of said draft rolls, electro-responsive means tore"- lease said'stop motion mechanism and an. electric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means and my invention specifically includes in said combination switch means connected toand normally breaking said circuit mounted on said machine underneath said fiber strands ahead of said draft rolls and having a roughened movable part adapted to be engaged by a broken-strand of fiber and to be pulled thereby through theaction of said draft rolls to complete the circuit to actuate said electro-responsive means to release said stop motion mechanism.

Hitherto in drawing frames and like devices substantially all the stop motion mechanisms of which I am aware have had as their actuator an element normally held up by the respective strands of roving or fiber andadapted to fall when a broken strand of roving should pass therethrough to actuate by its own weight either an electrical or a mechanical stop motion mechanism.

I am alsoaware of a device which permits the fiber to fall and by the action of its own weight on an electrical member in an electric 'circuit'to stop the machine. So'far as I am aware, however, I am the first to provide'an actuator for stop motion mechanisms for drawing frames, which when a broken strand exists willfall on a rough and movable part of the switcher actuator and permit the strandto so engage the roughened part thereof that when the strand is tended'to be-pulled forward by the draft roll, it willp'ull said roughened parts of said switch to complete 7 a circuit which will actuate the electro-responsive means which will release the stop motion mech anism.

An object of my invention therefore, is to provide a novelcombination in a drawingframe or like machine working on thisprinciple, andan approved specifictype of electric switch or actuae tor for this purpose. The disadvantage of the former types is that the weighted partstend to drag on the sliver or roving and tend to' cause irregularities therein,- which irregularities generally include a roughened outside edge on the sliver or roving.

A further disadvantage is. that "if the roving should happen to become loose the machine 1 'would often stop without any. actual broken ends.

While I am aware thata patent has been issued on the device hithertodescribed actuated by the weight of the sliver or roving falling thereon, so far as I am aware this device hasnot gone into general use,due to the fact that the weight of the sliver or roving is too small of itself to actuetc even a very flexible switch.

An objectof my inventiontherefore, is to provide a type of an actuator which is highly sensitive and which will permit the changein position of the sliver due to a broken end to engage and drag on a freely tiltable or movable member to permit the action of the draft rolls themselves through the medium of the broken end of roving or fiber topull the switch to complete the circuit to actuate the stop motion mechanism. I therefore provide a positive type of stop motion mechanism which will function at all times to pull and actuate thelightIy balanced switch; I While my invention is primarily adaptedfor use in drawing frames; it is obvious that it may be employedin any type of fiberstrandpreparation machine, namely; one used in'the preparation of roving, sliver,'slubbing,'yarm'etc.' q

These and such other objectsof my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from, a description of the accompanying drawing which. illustrates an embodiment thereof. l i i In the drawing; Fig; l is a diagrammatic perspective View of a portion of a drawing frame showing one flier thereof in the act of twisting anddrawing a single strand from a plurality of bobbins on acreely- Fig. 2 isa front elevation of my improved actuator connected with a diagrammatic representation of a common type of electric stop motion mechanism for a drawing frame.

Fig. 3 is an end. elevation of my improved switch or actuator with a strand of roving passing thereover and illustrating in dotted lines how the switch is tilted when a broken end falls thereon by the "action-of the draft rolls.

- In the drawing, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout, iii diagrammatically illustrates a portion of a drawing frameona whichmy invention may be attached. Whilemy invention'may be employed in any type i of a .fiber strand preparation machine, I have illustrated it in connection with a drawing frame 10. Said drawing frame Iii includes a usual lifter rail l2 reciprocatable in the usual manner on which the bobbins I l are mounted and on which thefiiers 16 are rotatably mounted, The rails l2 are adapted to wind the formed roving E8 on the bobbin I4. Said drawing frame includes the usual front draft rolls 20, carrier or intermediate draft rolls 22 and rear draft rolls 24. As I have shown my invention applied to a worsted drawing frame, it is obvious that the respective rolls consist of sets of upper and lower rolls between which the fiber strands or roving I8 are adapted to be passed. It is obvious thatthe draft is imparted to the roving between the back rolls 24 and the front rolls 20, the front rolls 20 being driven at a greater peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the back rolls 24. In the embodiment shown, a worsted drawing frame, strands of roving 32 are drawn from the roving bobbins 26 over suitable guide bars 28 and placed in alignment over the main guide bar 30 in spaced relationship. The arrangement of bobbins is normally called a creel and is the source of roving or other fiber strand supply. The individual strands of roving 32 after passing over the main guide bar 30 are paired up in the slots 34 of the guide 36 mounted on said drawing frame so as to be just in front of the rear draft rolls 24. So much hitherto described are common features of drawing frames at present employed. 1

As diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 the draft rolls 20 and 24 respectively may be driven through a common drive shaft 38 having thereon a fast pulley 40 and a loose pulley 42 and a belt shifter 44 is mounted on the drawing frame and includes a longitudinally slidable rod 46 having a belt fork 48 mounted on the end thereof and having a stop 50 on another portion thereon adapted to be contacted by one end of a shifting lever 52, the opposite end of which is pivotally mounted as at 54 on a portion of the drawing frame and is normally urged outwards to abut the stop 50 to move the rod 46 and fork 48 to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley by means of the spring 56 having one end attached to a portion thereof and the opposite end attached to a portion of the drawing frame. A trigger device 58 has a portion 60 thereof rigidly attached to the shipper'lever 52 and a trigger finger 6| pivoted on the end thereof adapted to be retained by a projection 63 on a core 64 normally contained within a solenoid 66. The solenoid 66 is connected to an electric circuit 68 and is also grounded on the frame. When the electric circuit 68 is open, the finger will be normally retained behind the projection 63 to keep the belt on the fast pulley. When, however, the circuit is completed through an actuator or switch about to be described which forms the main feature of my invention, the core 64 will drop thereby releasing the finger 6| to permit the spring 56 to move the trigger 58, lever 52, shaft 46 and belt fork 48 outwardly to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley.

So much of the stop motion mechanism heretofore described also forms the standard parts of the electric stop motion mechanism on the market today and an improved switch type of actuator and the novel combinationof this improved type of switch with the balance of the stop motion mechanism and parts of the drawing frame heretofore described forms my invention. As shown, I provide switch'means connected to and normally breaking said circuit mounted on said machine underneath said fiber strands ahead of said draft rolls and having a roughened movable part adapted to be engaged by a broken strand of fiber and to be pulled thereby, by the action of said draft rolls to actuate said electroresponsive means, namely, solenoid, magnet, etc.

to close the circuit to release the stop motion mechanism in the well known manner described. In my preferred embodiment said switch means is preferably tiltable and placed in a position so that the roughened upper surface thereof will be engaged by the broken end and pulled thereby through the action of the draft rolls to move the tiltable switch member to a position to complete said circuit to actuate the stop motion mechanism. In my preferred embodiment said switch means includes the U-brackets I which are suitably mounted on a bracket 12 extending longitudinally of the drawing frame underneath the strands of roving just prior to their being led into the guide bar 36. The brackets therefore, are mounted at desired spaced intervals on the supporting bracket or bar 12 and it is thus obvious that the brackets are grounded in a suitable manner, usually by their method of mounting. In my preferred embodiment, the bases, of the individual brackets are secured by means of screws 14 to the bar I2 and the end portions I6 01' each bracket are provided with the transverse slits I8 to divide the end walls 16 of each bracket into lower and upper respective end wall portions 80 and 82 respectively. To secure the upper and lower end portions of the end walls and brackets securely together I preferably provide the insulation blocks 84 extending upwards the normal length of said end walls I6 and secured by suitable means such as the screw means 86 to the upper end wall portion 82 and to the lower end wall portion 80. I also provide electric circuit connecting means projecting from one upper split wall portion, in the embodiment shown comprising an arm 88 which is adapted to be electrically connected to the wall portion 82 by a bolt means 86 and by means of the bolt 90 to a bar 92 extending the length of the machine. Said bar 92 is thus connected to the upper wall portions 82 of each respective bracket I0 on the bar I2. For the end bracket, a binding post 94 is electrically connected by means of the said screw means 86 to the upper end wall portion 82 that connects the arm 88 thereto and I normally employ the end switch of the drawing frame for connecting the end of the electric circuit thereto, the respective arms 88 and electric connecting bar 92 being provided for connecting all the upper end portions 82 of the brackets together without individual wires. If desired, however, individual binding posts 94 may be provided for the top portions 82 of each respective bracket. It is obvious, however, that the arms 88 may be formed integral with the upper end wall portions 82 if desired. One upper end wall portion 82 of each bracket is provided with a bumper pin 96 and a lower end wall 80 is provided with a contact pin 98 vertically offset from said bumper pin 96 for a purpose to be described. The portions of the switch heretofore described comprise the stationary parts of the switch to which the various electrical connections are made. On said bracket '10, I mount the tiltable arm I00, which in my preferred embodiment comprises a U-arm I00 having the upper portion I02 with the downwardly projecting arms I04 and I 04 having the pins I06 projecting inward therefrom adapted to rest in suitable holes I08 in the upper portions 82 of the end walls of said brackets. It is obvious that the pins I06 are suitably mounted in holes I08 so as to permit free tilting of the arms I 02 therein. If desired, however, instead of making the U-shaped bracket a tiltable arm I may construct these of a single end, in which case an end I04 '1 and 3) will fall on the roughened upper. surface 1030f said arm I00. While said upper surface I03 may be roughenedin any suitable manner, as shown in my preferred embodiment I preferably secure: a zinc strip .I05.provided with the projections I01 suitably pierced thereinrto. form the roughened uppersurface I03 of. said arm I00. It is thus obvious that the broken portion 33 will contact saidzinc points I01 or roughened upper surface and become intermeshed therewith,.so that the end 33 being pulled forward as usual by means of the rear draft rolls 24, will tiltthe arm I from the position shown in fulllines in Fig; 3 to the dotted. line position shown therein, causingthe lower end of the arm I04 to contact the contact pin .98 to complete a circuit through the binding post connection 94, the upper end wall portion 82; the bus bar connection: 92, through the. pin I06 contacting the hole I081in said upper endwall 82 and downwards. through the arm I04 thereof to contact the contact pin 98, which in turnis mounted on the lower end portion 80. and thus is grounded to the, frame through the usualbracket base 10 and supporting bar 12 and thus completing a circuit through the electromagnet to cause the trigger SI to move away from the projection 63 in the 100128 thereof to'permit the spring. 56 to actuate the stop motion'mechanism to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley. In my preferred em.- bodiment the arm I04 of the switch I00 prefer.- ably projects downwardly a, greater distance than the other arm and then is bent rearwardly asat I09 to forma balance: to pivot the movable arm I00 of said switch to a normal position'icontacting the bumper'pin'flli and out of contact with the contact pin 98, said elongated endtherefore functioning as a weight for this purpose to return the arm to a normal substantially vertical position when the broken end of. roving 1 33 is removed therefrom.

Itis apparent therefore that I have provided a novel type. of stop motion mechanism and actuator therefore which operates in an entirely a novel manner, namely, by the brokenend falling on'and engaging the roughened" movable portion thereofand pulling it to actuate the switch through the medium of the forward motion of the draft rolls 24 and it is apparent that I have. provided a very sensitive device which through the inherent longitudinal strength of the broken strands 33 is extremely positive in its action. If desired, as shown, the circuit may be provided with a transformer to reduce. the normal current so low that it will haveno. harmful effect on;the operator. I

It isunderstood that my invention is not limited to the specifioembodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. In a drawing frame, a source of roving supply, driven draft rollsfor said roving, mech anism to stop the motion thereof, electro-reanism, anelectric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means and pivoted switch means sponsive: means to'release said stop motion mechconnected toand normally breaking said circuit 7 pivotally mounted "on said machine underneath said roving ahead ofsaid draft rolls having a rigid roughened upper'surface portion adapted to be engaged by a broken strand of roving and to be: pulled thereby through the action of said draft rolls to pivot said switch means through the pulling action of the roving alone to complete the circuit to actuate said electro-responsive means to release said stop'motion mechanism.

. 2. In a fiber strand preparation machine, a source. of fiber strand supply, driving draft meansfor said fiber strands, mechanism to stop the motion thereof, electro-responsive means to release said stop motion mechanism, an electric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means and pivoted switch means connected to and normally breaking said circuit pivotally mounted on said machine underneath said fiber strands having a rigid roughened upper surface portion adapted to be engaged by a broken strand of fiber and to be pulled thereby through the action of said driving means to pivot said switch means through the pulling action of the fiber strands alone to complete the circuit to actuate said electi e-responsive means torelease said stop motion mechanism. i 3. In a drawing frame, a source of roving supply, driven draft rolls for said roving, mechanism to stop the motion thereof, electro-responsive means to release. said stop motion mechanism, an electric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means, switch means connected to and'normally breaking said circuit pivotally mounted on said machineunderneath said tion thereof, electro-responsive means to release said stop motion mechanism, an electric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means and switch means connected to and normally break= lng said circuit pivotally mounted on said machine underneath said fiber strands having' a rigid roughened movable surface portion adapted to beengaged by a broken strand of fiber and to be pulled'thereby through the action of said driving means to pivot said switch means through the pulling action of the fiber strands alone to complete the circuit to actuate said electroi-responsive means torelease said stop mo,- tion mechanism.

5. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for a fiber strand preparationmachine having driven draft means, a source. .of fiber strand sup-ply a stop motion mechanism and an electro-responsive stop motion release. mounted and grounded on said machine comprisinga U-' bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft means and the source of fiber strand supply having transverse slits in the'end walls. thereof, insulation. blocks adjacent; the

split portions of said end walls, means connecting said blocks to said upper and lower split wall portions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from one upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on one end wall and a contact pin on a lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and a U-arm having a roughened corrugated zinc plate mounted over the upper surface thereof and the end walls thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portions of said U-bracket, whereby on breakage of a .fiber strand, the broken portion moved by said draft means may fall on said corrugated surface and tilt said Uo-arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position contacting said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release, one wall of said tiltable arm being extended to tilt said U-arm to a normal position against said bumper pin on release of said fiber strand.

6. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for a fiber strand preparation machine having driven draft means, a source of fiber strand supply, a stop motion mechanism and an electro-responsive stop motion release mounted and grounded on said machine comprising a U- bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft means and the source of fiber strand supply having transverse slits in the end walls thereof, insulation blocks adjacent the split portions of said end walls, means connecting said blocks to said upper and lower split wall portions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from one upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on one end wall, and a contact pin a lower end wall portion, vertically offset from said bumper pin, and a U-arm having a roughened surface and the end walls thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portions of said U-bracket, whereby on breakage of a fiber strand the broken portion moved by said draft means may fall on said roughened surface and tilt said U-arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position contacting said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release, one wall of said tiltable arm being extended to tilt said U-arm to a normal position against said bumper pin on release of said fiber strand.

7. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for a fiber strand preparation machine having driven draft means, a source of fiber strand supply, a stop motion mechanism and an electro-responsive stop motion release mounted and grounded on said machine, comprising a U-bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft means and the source of fiber strand supply having transverse slits in the end walls thereof, insulation blocks adjacent .the split portions of said end walls, meansconnecting said blocks to said upper and lower split wall portions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from one upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on one end wall and a contact pin on a lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and a U-arm having a roughened corrugated zinc plate mounted on the upper surface thereof and the end walls thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portions of said U-bracket, whereby on breakage of a fiber strand the broken portion moved by said draft means may fall on said corrugated surface and tilt said U-arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position contacting said contact pin to complete the groundedcircuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release.

8. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for a fiber strand preparation machine having driven draft means, a source of fiber strand supply, a stop motion mechanism and an electro-responsive stop motion release mounted and grounded on said machine comprising a U -bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft means and the source of fiber strand supply having transverse slits in the end walls thereof, insulation blocks adjacent the split portions of said end walls, means connecting said blocks to said upper and lower split wall portions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from one upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on one end wall and a contact pin on a lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and a U-arrn having a roughened surface and the end walls thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portions of said U-bracket, whereby on breakage of a fiber strand the broken portion moved by said draft means may fall on said roughened surface and tilt said U-arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position contacting said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release.

9. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for fiber strand draft machines having driven draft means, a source of fiber strand supply, a stop motion mechanism and an electroresponsive stop motion releam mounted and grounded on said machine comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft means and source of fiber strand supply having a transverse slit in an end wall thereof, an insulation block adjacent the split portion of said end wall, means connecting said block to said upper and lower split wallportions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from the upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on the end wall and a contact pin on the lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and an arm having a corrugated zinc plate mounted on the upper surface thereof and the end wall thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portion of said bracket, whereby on breakage of a fiber strand the broken portion moved by said draft means may fall on said corrugated surface and tilt said arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position to contact said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said eleotroresponsive stop motion release, one wall of said tiltable arm being extended to tilt said arm to a normal position against said bumper pin on release of said fiber strand.

10. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for fiber strand draft machines having driven draft rolls, a source of roving supply, a stop motion mechanism, and an electro-responsive stop motion release mounted and grounded on said machine comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft rolls and source of fiber strand supply having a transverse slitin an endwall thereof, an insulajecting from the upper split wall portion, a

bumper pin on the end wall, and a contact pin on the lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and an arm having a corrugated.

zinc plate mounted on the upper surface and the end wall thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portion of said bracket, whereby on breakage of a fiber strand, the broken portion moved by said draft rolls may fall on said corrugated surface and tilt said arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position to contact said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release, one wall of said tiltable arm being extended to tilt said arm to a normal position against said bumper pin on release of said fiber strand.

11. An actuator for electric stop, motion mechanisms for fiber strand draft machines having driven draft rolls,a source of roving supply, a stop motion mechanism and an electro-responsive stop motion release mounted and grounded on said machine comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft rolls and source of fiber strand supply having transverse slits in an end wall thereof, an insulation block adjacent the split portions of said end wall, means connecting said block to said upper and lower split wall portions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from the upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on the end wall and a contact pin on the lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and an arm having a corrugated upper surface and the end wall thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portion of said bracket, whereby on breakage of a fiber strand, the broken portion moved by said draft rolls may fall on said corrugated surface and tilt said arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a tilted position to contact said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release, one wall of said tiltable arm being extended to tilt said arm to a normal positionagainst said bumper pin on release of said fiber strand.

12. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for fiber strand draft machines having driven draft rolls, a source of roving supply, a stop motion mechanism and an electro-respo-nsive stop motion release mounted and grounded on said machine comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted and grounded on said machine underneath said fiber strands between said draft rolls and source of fiber strand supply having transverse slits in an end wall thereof, an insulation block adjacent the split portion of said end wall, means connecting said block to said upper and lower split wall portions, stop motion release electric circuit connecting means projecting from the upper split wall portion, a bumper pin on the end wall and a contact pin on the lower end wall portion vertically offset from said bumper pin and an arm having a corrugated upper surface and the end wall thereof pivotally mounted on said upper end wall portion of said bracket whereby on breakage of a fiber strand the broken portion moved by said draft rolls may fall on said corrugated surface and tilt said arm from a normal position contacting said bumper pin to a-tilted position to contact said contact pin to complete the grounded circuit to actuate said electro-responsive stop motion release.

13. An actuator for electric stop motion mech-- anisms for fiber strand preparation machines having a source of fiber strand supply, driven draft means for said fiber strands, mechanism to stop the motion thereof, electro-responsive means to release said stop motion mechanism and an electric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means, comprising pivotable switch means connected to and normally breaking said circuit pivotally mounted on said machine underneath said fiber strands ahead of said draft means having a rigid roughened upper surface portion adapted to be engaged by a broken strand of fiber and to be pulled thereby through the action of said draft means to pivot said switch means through the pulling action of the fiber strands alone to complete the circuit to actuate said electroresponsive means to release said stop motion mechanism.

14. An actuator for electric stop motion mechanisms for fiber strand preparation machines having a source of fiber strand supply, driven draft rolls for said fiber strandamechanism to stop the motion thereof, electro-responsive means to release said stop motion mechanism and an electric circuit connected to said electro-responsive means, comprising pivotable switch means I connected to and normally breaking said circuit the pulling action of the fiber strandsalone to i complete the circuit to actuate said electron:-

sponsive means to release said stop motion mechanism.

FREDERICK EXLEY. 

